Written by

Nancy Vienneau

For The Tennessean

New and not to be missed are the Fried Brussels Sprouts. / photos by Larry McCormack /The Tennessean

Mussel bowls, served in several flavor profiles, always are standouts.

Rumours Wine Bar

1104 Division St./ICON Building in the Gulch615-432-2740; www.rumourswinebar.comHours: Bar open daily at 4 p.m.; kitchen open daily 5-10 p.m.; happy hour 4-7 p.m. Reservations: accepted Payment: major credit cards accepted Alcohol: full bar Food: Modern American Cost: tastes: $4-$8; soups/salads: $7-$16; plates: $8-$24; sides: $4-$6; sweets: $7-$8 Parking: on street, area lots Nancy Vienneau is a chef and retired caterer with 25 years of experience. She cooks and teaches at Second Harvest and blogs about her adventures with food at http://nancyvienneau.com. Reviews are written from anonymous visits to restaurants. Negative reviews are based on two or more visits. The Tennessean pays for all meals.

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It has become commonplace all over the city — the demolition of small structures to make way for the construction of large. The price of progress, some say. Nonetheless, there is often lament for what gets lost in the process.

Such was the case for the partners, staff and patrons of Rumours Wine Bar on 12South. Long a pioneering destination for fine art, wine and food in the ’hood, the charming little house met an untimely demise last year, bulldozed to make way for a multi-use development.

Facing big change, there’s a choice of perspective: Obstacle or opportunity? Owner Christy Shuff chose the latter, ultimately relocating the restaurant to a ground floor corner of the ICON building in The Gulch. In making that transition, she brought some of the best of that little house: a cozy, welcoming ambience, engaging local artwork and breezy patio space.

But, in its new life, Rumours expresses an expansive vision of itself. It offers a wider selection of wines, in 5- and 8-ounce pours, along with a full bar, sparked with signature cocktails. Under chef Jo Ellen Brown’s direction, the menu has been broadened, introducing new dishes among the eatery’s favorites. The painterly tones and plush textures of Rumours have meshed with the modern industrial feel of ICON, giving the diner more space in which to enjoy it all. No need to lament. It’s a new neighborhood bar in a new kind of neighborhood.

In its neighborly way, Rumours opens daily at 4 p.m. with a happy hour that spans three hours. The kitchen opens at 5 p.m., when you can begin sampling the array of intriguing small plates and tastes to accompany that glass of Albarino or a “new school” cocktail. Simple starters include roasted marcona almonds, marinated olives and a cheese plate. But other, more creative plates beckon.

New and not to be missed are the Fried Brussels Sprouts. Airy, crisp petals tossed with shaved aged Gouda and bits of Benton’s bacon are served under a scribble of balsamic glaze, a terrific combination of textures and sweet-sour-salty-savory tastes.

Another worthy addition to the Rumours roster is mushroom pâté. Spread onto water crackers or rosemary bread, it imparts complex earthiness, with hints of thyme and brandy in its layers under a finish of truffle oil. It is arguably more healthful than liver pâté, and as satisfying. Char siu indicates a Chinese barbecue style using 5-spice powder and hoisin sauce, which chef Brown cleverly incorporates into her pork meatballs. We also enjoyed the jalapeńo-flecked pimiento cheese, an assertive blend of sharp Cheddars, but felt that the accompanying carrot and celery sticks made a weak offering of crudités.

We’d like to draw your attention to two notable dishes that are welcome carryovers from the little house.

The simply named Roasted Beet Salad is visually stunning, and one of the better salads of its ilk that we’ve eaten. Like jewels, slices of ruby and golden beets encircle a mound of baby greens along with orange supremes and goat cheese. Spiced almonds top the salad, and a restrained pour of local honey brings balance.

For a main plate, the Seared Scallops prove to be a top-notch choice, not solely for their delicate sweetness but also for the creamy mushroom risotto and fennel beurre blanc that anchors them.

Chef Brown has expanded her signature mussel bowls to five globally inspired versions. Each is well conceived and executed, the bivalves steamed and served in delicious, “sop-worthy” broths. Curry Basil has a heady blend of south Indian spices and anise-scented basil. For a Mediterranean spin, try the Tomato-Caper. Its sauce, studded with garlic and feta, is tempered with a touch of cream. Lemongrass and coconut milk make the Thai bowl rich and silken.

Service is gracious and attentive. We want to applaud the staff’s actions, when an order on one visit went awry. The beef on our steak salad had been prepared well done rather than the requested medium rare, and spicy buttermilk dressing was absent from the plate. Both manager Jenn McCarthy and bartender Caleb Kimberley took extra measures to ensure customer satisfaction. While the order was remade, McCarthy brought olives and almonds for snacking. The salad’s second iteration presented a perfectly grilled tender cut of beef, sidled by greens, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, carrot ribbons and a cayenne-spiked dressing, for which we were not charged.

And, finally, unexpectedly, Kimberley treated our table to glasses of his housemade limoncello, a soothing sweet ending to the meal.